Elland

Elland is a small market town located in West Yorkshire, England, nestled along the River Calder. Situated approximately 4 miles west of Halifax and 10 miles north of Huddersfield, it has a rich history dating back to the medieval period. 

Once an important center for the wool trade, Elland is known for its historic architecture, including the 12th-century St. Mary's Church. The town is surrounded by beautiful countryside, making it a picturesque spot with a mix of traditional buildings and modern amenities. Elland has a strong community spirit and is well-connected by road and rail to larger nearby cities.

For more photos of Elland click here

Holmfirth

Holmfirth is situated just 6 miles from Huddersfield in the Holme Valley. Surrounded by stunning countryside this small town developed around an old corn mill and bridge which dates back to the 13th century. The old English meaning for Holmfirth or Holm Frith is Holly Wood or Holme Woods. 

Like most Yorkshire towns and villages the inhabitants prospered through textules. Holfirth in more recent times benefits from having the Peak District National Park on its doorstep and from its new found fame as the home of the BBC comedy "Last of the Summer Wine". Visitors can actually use Sid's Cafe and even take a special tour of the town in a vintage vehicle which starts off from the famous cafe.

Holmfirth has another claim to fame through its sacuy seaside postcards by the firm Bamforth & Co. The town is a picturesque mix of stone cottages and houses. Tourism is the main revenue for the town which is susceptible to flooding. Local Agriculture is still thriving and one of the towns main employers at Longly farm has one of the leading Jersey herds in Europe. The town has some good restaurants cafes and independent shops.

For more photos of Holmfirth click here

Mirfield Monastery

The Community of the Resurrection  was founded in Oxford in 1892 by a priest named Charles Gore. Originally from Oxford the community moved to Mirfield in 1898.

The monks at the Resurrection are Anglican and the community is dedicated to the mystery of Christ's resurrection. The worship of God is at the heart of community life and anyone is welcome to attend their services.

The monks lead a quiet and dedicated life and also run a bed and breakfast facility. For a very reasonable fee visitors get clean, adequate accommodation including breakfast and the opportunity to walk around and explore the extensive gardens and grounds of the monastery.

For photos of the Monastery click here or view on You Tube

Halifax

Halifax is situated near Bradford, Huddersfield and Rochdale in the South Pennines. Early records show that the town was called Halyfax which means "coarse grass in the nook of the land". There is no record of Halifax in the Domesday Book so it is difficult to determine how long this area has been inhabited. 

Halifax expanded as a centre for woolen manufacture form the 15th century. The Piece Hall in the town is where this trade originated. Halifax is famous for the Building Society or Bank which takes its name and for Mackintosh chocolate and toffee which is now under the Nestle Brand. Halifax was home to one of the world's largest textile factories and although now converted for use as offices and retail outlets this 1/2 mile long building is still in use.

Textiles, cotton, wool and carpet industries and weaving mills generated wealth for the town during the 19th century. After the closure of the mills and the loss of its important industries Halifax went through a period of decline. In more recent times the town has benefitted from European funding and is once again beginning to show promise as an affluent town in the region.

Halifax is home to Eureka - The National Children's Museum. With its independent and branded shops and restaurants and cafes there is plenty to see and do around Halifax. A visit to the magnificent Harveys of Halifax department store is recommended.

For photos of Halifax click here or view on You Tube

Rotherham

The town of Rotherham in the West Riding of Yorkshire is situated on the banks of the River Don at its confluence with the River Rother. There has been a settlement here since the iron age and records indicate that there as a small Roman Fort here. Rotherham takes its name from the Old English name of Ham or Homestead meaning Homestead on the River or in this case Rother Ham - Homestead on the Rother.

Rotherham is just 5 miles from Sheffield. It is known for its iron and steel and it used to have many smelting plants and foundries. These industries grew rapidly up until the early 19th century but declined during the 1970's and 1980's. The town centre is concentrated around the impressive Rotherham Minster and includes a wide range of branded and independent shops as well as a good selection of cafes and restaurants and an outdoor market.

Clifton Park is also worth a visit and is only a couple of minutes walk from the town centre. With its multi million pound water park, rock garden and play area there is something for all the family.

For photos of Rotherham click here or view on You Tube

Sheffield

The city of Sheffield in the West Riding of Yorkshire is famous for its steel production. The city takes its name from the River Sheaf which runs through the city. One of the UK's largest cities, Sheffield has experienced much redevelopment in recent years. Having suffered a loss of much of its old industries the city has diversified and now achieves regular and steady growth economically.

Coal Mining stopped in the 1980's and this also lead to the decline of the steel industries although any visitor to Sheffield will still see evidence of this historic past and indeed some companies still operating in the steel industry. With more than 250 parks the city of Sheffield has an estimated 2 million trees which makes it one of the highest  ratio of trees to people than any other city in Europe.

Sheffield is an old established city and it has been inhabited for over 12,000 years. Records show Sheffield as a small market town in 1296 and as a centre of knife production and cutlery during the 1600's. Sheffield's importance as an industrial town was tested during the Second World War when many of its factories were bombed by the Germans.

Sheffield is an interesting blend of new and old. The Park Hill flats on the outskirts of the city centre are an example of how a brutalist piece of architecture can be softened  up to look more pleasing and in keeping with modern times. Visitors can see the contrast between half of the improved estate and its untouched neighbouring flats next door.

The city centre of Sheffield has some worthy places of interest. The Peace Gardens in front of the magnificent Gothic Town Hall with their water features are a popular destination as is the covered Botanical Gardens and the Millenium Centre. The city of Sheffield is a major retail centre with its inner city brands and out of town stores which include the Meadowhall Shopping Centre with its 280 stores and 12,000 parking spaces.

Sheffield is a worthy destination in terms of its attractions and during the weekend it has a European feel with its tram system and vibrant daytime activity. Whilst it has a good selection of branded and independent shops the choice of restaurants in the city centre is below what you might expect for such a large city and the city centre is very quiet outside of normal shopping hours when it suddenly and magically seems to become empty.

For more photos of Sheffield click here or watch on You Tube

Scarborough

Scarborough on the North Sea Coast of North Yorkshire is a very popular tourist destination during the summer months. With two main beaches, limestone cliffs and a harbour protected by a rocky headland, this is the largest holiday resort on the Yorkshire coast. 

The original settlement of Scarborough would have been in medieval times on the South Bay side of the town. This forms the old district and is the main area for tourists. There is a lively atmosphere, a busy beach and a host of fish and chip shops, cafes, bars and restaurants. The 11th century Scarborough Castle looks down on the town from the cliff tops and there is also a more modern shopping precinct behind the main beach area.

The North Bay side of town with its long sandy beach and plenty of parking is much quieter but with fewer amenities. The North side however is home to Peasholm Park which is reputed to be one of the top 5 parks in Europe. North and South Bay are joined together by Marine Drive with its extensive Victorian Promenade.

Anyone walking along the sea front in Scarborough will have noticed the huge building up on the cliffs. The Grand Hotel which was completed in 1867 was one of the largest hotels in the world. It is still very impressive by todays standards. Ann Bronte died here in 1849. She is buried in the graveyard of St Mary's Church near the castle.

Whilst Scarborough still has an active fishing industry it is relatively small and the working harbour now provides fishing and boat trips for the thousands of visitors. The Scarborough fish market sells locally caught seafood.

Scarborough is diverse enough to offer something for everyone. It has museums, cultural heritage and historic buildings. It also has a wealth of entertainment venues and nearby places to visit. Any trip to North Yorkshire would be incomplete without a visit to Scarborough.

For more photos of  Scarborough click here or view on You Tube

Whitby

Whitby is a coastal town in North Yorkshire which is situated on the mouth of the River Esk. Any first time visitor to Whitby will instantly recognise that this seaside town has a maritime history. With its impressive harbour walls and inland harbour the town has been an important fishing port for centuries. It is also famous for the fact that Captain Cook learned his seamanship here.

A large swing bridge divides the town and the old town is situated on the Abbey side of the harbour. With its quaint houses of brick and stone and narrow roads, the visitor gets a glimpse of what it might have been like in past years. Whitby today is a tourist destination. The town changed from a fishing village to a popular tourist destination during the Georgian period and tourism increased further with the arrival of the ralway in 1839.

There has been a settlement at Whitby since 656 and several earlier monastries which were either destroyed or rebuilt. Whitby is known for its Jet Jewellery. Whitby at its peak in 1790 was the third largest shipbuilder in England. The ship HMS Endeavour that took Captain Cook to Australia and New Zealand was built in Whitby in 1764.

On the Old Town side of Whitby there are 199 steps that lead up to the Church of St. Mary which is famous for giving Bram Stoker the inspiration for his famous book - Dracula. The ruins of St Hilda's Abbey dominates the skyline are cared for by English Heritage for which there is an entrance fee. Interestingly the Abbey also claims to be the inspiration for Dracula.

The town of Whitby with its lobster or crab baskets on the quayside is a typically English seaside town. The main harbour area and old town are a delight to explore and there are plenty of cafes, pubs and restaurants available as well as many small independent shops. A definite 'must visit' location if you find yourself  in this part of the world.

For more photos of Whitby click here or view on You Tube

Meanwood

Meanwood used to be a village on the outskirts of Leeds but it is now a suburb on the North West side of the city. The name Meanwood dates back to the 12th century

The 1841 census lists 144 houses in Meanwood of which many were stone cottages which have since been demolished. However there are some interesting older buildings on Monkbridge Road and some back to backs housing in Monkbridge Avenue. This short avenue used to have cobbled streets and outside toilets up until 1970.

In fact, take a walk around this area and you will still see the old cobbled streets and back alleys that have all but gone in most places.

Leeds

Leeds is an old established and historic English city. It dates back to the 5th century when the area was covered by the Forest of Loidis from which the city gets its name. Leeds is the third largest city in the UK with a population of over 750,000.

From humble beginnings as Manorial Borough in the 13th century, Leeds became an important centre for the Wool trade during the Industrial Revolution. This led to the birth of other industries such as engineering, iron foundries and printing. The population exploded and by the mid 20th century it had experienced phenomenal growth.

By 1801 most of the population of Leeds lived on the outskirts of the city or township as it then was. With shortages of water, poor housing conditions and outbreaks of Cholera the authorities built three new reservoirs and encouraged the development of better housing for the workers who were often housed in damp and crowded back-to-backs.

Leeds today is a vibrant city ranked as a gamma world city and home to three universities, a large legal and financial economy and home to over 30 national and international banks. Call centres have also done well here and provide employment for thousands of workers. Leeds has attracted inward investment and the city centre has been renewed with many large development projects and luxury housing in the city centre.

The retail trade is buoyant here and there are several impressive arcades in the city centre and a host of independent and branded names. There is a busy market and some fine buildings to be admired as well as several museums. You can easily spend more than a day in Leeds. This fine city has a lot to offer. Whilst it does not benefit from the picturesque medieval backdrop that York has to offer it holds its own in terms of a clean modern city with lots to offer the visitor.

For more photos of Leeds click here or view on You Tube

Muston

The village of Muston in North Yorkshire is situated just 1.5 miles from the town of Filey. The village is listed as Mustone in the Domesday Book where it was recorded as seven households with just 21 villagers, six small holders and ten plough lands. It was still mainly a farming village in the 1860's when farming went through some particularly hard times and many farmers were poor and some unfortunate souls made destitute.

By 1823 the village population had increaed to some 350 citizens of which fourteen were farmers. The Parish Church was completely rebuilt in 1863 although a church would have been situated here since the 12th century. The current All Saints Church is a Grade II listed building.

Hunmanby

The village of Hunmanby in Yorkshire is situated on the edge of the wolds about 3 miles from Filey. The name originates from the Danish, having been entered in the Domesday Book as "Hundemanbi" meaning Hounds Men which actually relates to the hunting of Wolves on the Yorkshire Wolds.

With its own railways station and direct routes to Hull and Scarborough, the village is an old established settlement which would have been an agricultural community until very recent times. Hunmanby Hall dates from the 11th century and the Domesday Book of 1086 refers to the church and its priest which dates it at over 900 years old.

Hunmanby won a Brtain in Bloom award in 2010. You can see old photos of Hunmanby at this website: www.hunmanby.com/

Filey

Filey is a small town on the North Yorkshire coast and is situated between Scarborough and Bridlington. Originally a busy fishing village, Filey is now a popular tourist destination in its own right. Filey also benefits from receiving visitors from Scarborough who escape to Filey for some peace and quiet in the summer months when Scarborough can become very crowded with tourists.

The last working fishing trawler in Filey was relocated to Scarborough in 2013 ending a long history of fishing. There is an excellent resource about the Fisherman of Filey and their families. It can be found at: 

www.exploringfileyspast.co.uk/

Filey has a 12th century parish church in the north of the town which is a grade I listed building and easily the oldest building in Filey. With is small independent shops and impressive beach, Filey is definitely worth a visit if you find yourself in this neck of the woods.

For photos of Filey click here or view on You Tube

Bridlington

Bridlington is situated along the Gypsey Race River, around 24 miles north of Kingston upon Hull, on the North Sea Coast of Yorkshire. The town still has a working harbour and is noted for its shellfish. This is an old settlement that dates back to the Bronze Age and Roman times. 

Whilst Bridlington has a good beach and tourist potential this has not been fully maximised and the town is a poor neighbour by comparison with Scarborough. The emphasis seems to have been on capturing the lower end of the tourist market with amusement arcades and economical eating places along the sea front.

The long promenade, its award winning sandy beaches and the harbour still make this location appealing. 

For photos of Bridlington click here or view on You Tube